And now, a tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
In a moment, Act One of Doom Machine, starring Leon Janney as Dr. Ferris,
and written especially for suspense by Edgar Marvin.
It's eight o'clock in the morning, in the year 2500.
On the outskirts of the great city is a large, one-story house.
In one wing of this house is the laboratory of Dr. Atlee Ferris,
who is seated behind an enormous horseshoe-shaped desk.
The house is a little bit smaller than the other,
but it's a little bit more than that.
Dr. Atlee Ferris, who is seated behind an enormous horseshoe-shaped desk,
studded with levers and small, blinking instrument panels.
Good morning, Dr. Ferris.
Good morning, Jack.
I tried to work out those calculations. He left as best I could.
I hope I have them figured right, sir.
Never mind. I won't be able to use them anyway.
I lost the train of thought on the wide pattern we were following.
Oh, it's too bad, Dr. Ferris. You were so far advanced on it.
Well, I'm only human, Jack. I'm not a machine.
In fact, my humanity practically conspires against me.
The level of concentration I need is fantastic, Jack.
But I'm not pure brain.
There are disturbances, distractions, emotional upheavals.
That's what life is, Dr. Ferris. We can't avoid that.
But if there were pure brain, Jack,
a mind that would hold pure thought and nothing else,
that would carry out the logical sequence of thoughts into action
without any deviation from its purpose,
regardless of any distraction or human consideration.
There's no such thing, Dr. Ferris. It would be monstrous.
Perhaps, but it would succeed in its work.
Whereas we, because we're human, too often are distracted and fail.
I'd rather fail than be just a brain.
Yes, yes, because you're human.
And you won't admit that creatures with a pure brain would be superior to you.
Well, back to your work, Jack. I'm just talking to myself anyway.
He doesn't understand how limited the human mind is.
Yes, yes, that's it. That's what I need.
A brain that isn't human.
The Third Audio Box Entry, July 7th.
The first parts for my new project arrived today,
and I immediately began assembly.
The job was going to be bigger than I expected.
My original plans didn't call for motive power,
but now I see that everything will be impossible
unless there is force of action.
Sixth Audio Box Entry, July 20th.
Sally is bursting with curiosity,
because she knows enough now not to come near my workroom.
Perhaps I should prepare her for the fact that we are going to have a guest in the house.
Thirteenth Audio Box Entry, August 27th.
This is probably the last report I shall make.
There is complete mobility and the concentration chamber has been sealed.
Not even I could get it to change a thought once the decision trap is shut.
Communicated power is slow, but there is no faltering of expression.
The last thing is the will. I shall test that tomorrow.
The final test.
I hear something. Is that it, Dr. Ferris?
I ordered it to report to me here in the laboratory at ten o'clock.
What time is it now, Jack?
It's just ten, Dr. Ferris. Is it safe?
We'll know in a moment.
I am here, Master.
It's enormous. The most enormous robot I've ever seen.
This isn't just a robot.
Inside that enormous metal body is the most advanced electronic brain ever devised.
Pure brain. Maximum electronic mentality.
That's what we'll call him. Max.
I can think of other names.
The real thing, Jack, is his power of concentration.
His will is tied directly to action. He does whatever he decides.
Nothing can stop him. Nothing can distract him.
His will is as strong as the titanium he's made of.
He's perfect, Jack. Perfect.
Yes, he's perfect, Dr. Ferris.
You've got what you wanted. A brain that isn't human.
A thing completely without emotions.
Look at Daddy's laboratory, Tonics. Isn't it immense?
You can see and hear everything from this control room.
Is that the robot, Mr. Ferris?
Yes, yes, that's Max.
Well, what do you think of him?
He's amazing.
He operates himself, Philip.
He's not just a robot. He's a thinking machine.
He's figuring out the solar energy formula right now.
Jack does the manual work.
You mean the man takes orders from the robot?
Jack's not in Max's class when it comes to pure thought.
Oh, Daddy, it's humiliating to take orders from a machine.
What's your opinion, you brilliant young physicist, Philip?
Well, as a scientist, Dr. Ferris, I have to admit admiration for your robot, Max.
But speaking as a human being, I think I'd resent taking orders from it too.
I mean, having it on a pedestal.
That's where Max belongs.
He can do the mental job and Jack can't.
Therefore, Max leads and Jack follows.
I'm not interested in your so-called human values.
I have no more feelings about them than Max has.
The superior always lead the inferior.
That's the way it is and that's the way it has to be.
Dr. Ferris, I can't stand it anymore.
I'm not working for you. I'm working for a machine, an iron monster.
Oh, now don't be so...
He knows it too. I can feel it. He's cocky, Dr. Ferris. He gloats over us.
Well, that's how you feel, Jack.
Max has no emotions. He's just doing a job.
I don't want to be a part of it.
But it's going to succeed, Jack.
Max is going to accomplish in a month what you and I have been working on for three years.
I'm going to fly to the Capitol tomorrow to report on our progress.
You can't quit now. I'm depending on you.
How long will you be away?
A few days, maybe a week.
And the final test of the formula may come while I'm gone.
You have to be here.
For that close to the end, I suppose I can stick it out.
Fine, fine.
Now, if the test should come while I'm gone,
I want you to record all the steps on the audiovox tape recorder.
I'll remember.
Oh, and Jack, there may be some danger.
You're going to be trapping the energy of the sun right in the laboratory.
Radiation will be intense.
Now, be sure you set the thermal drums in back of the solar tube
so you can graph the heat measurement.
The main thing, of course, is to be positive the formula's correct
before you throw the switch.
I don't have much chance I'll have to figure that.
Max makes all the decisions.
Well, that's the one reason I'm not worried about the danger, Jack.
You can trust Max. Whatever you think of him, you know that.
I suppose so.
Well, it's important that you believe in him.
His mind, Jack, his pure electronic brain,
will do more for humanity than generations of emotional beings like us.
Home 23.
Home 23.
Omega 15.
Omega 15.
Thermodyne 24.
Thermodyne 24.
Set rheostat control.
Thermodyne 24.
Set rheostat...
Max, that's it.
That's the test for solar energy, the final test.
Set rheostat control.
You sure we're ready for it, Max?
Let me look over the formula.
Formula is right.
At least let me see it.
Do now.
Now?
Is there any reason why we must finish it this afternoon?
We've been working all day. I want to look over the formula tonight and tomorrow.
Must finish.
Must finish.
All right, all right.
Nothing stops you.
Let me turn on the audio box tape recorder so we can record the steps.
Bad chance to get anywhere arguing with a machine.
Never tired, no emotions, no feelings.
After this test, I'm through. Dr. Ferris and Mel, I'm walking out.
Set rheostat control.
Just a minute, just a minute.
There.
Now I'll check the thermal drums.
The graphing.
Set thermal panel.
Check.
Increase, raise, thermal, eight, radio,
radio, flux.
It's hot.
We must be tapping the sun.
Look at that control panel spin.
Thermal, ten, radio, flux, eight.
Thermal, twelve, radio, flux, nine.
Max, it's getting too hot. I don't think we can get any more increase.
Thermal, fourteen, radio, flux, ten.
No, no, Max, it won't work.
I see it now. We're absorbing too much heat in the tube.
We're not channeling out.
Thermal, sixteen.
I'm afraid, Max. I'm afraid.
Max, Max, it's shooting heat rays.
Max!
Jack gone.
Heat over maximum.
Need new formula.
Need new formula.
Wonderful, Max, wonderful.
It's running on solar energy.
With this machine alone, this laboratory model, we could power a hundred factories.
Heat too high.
Yes, yes, I checked the thermal drums.
The heat is too high, but we can fix that.
Take a little work, but we can do it.
You, you have no idea where Jack is.
Jack gone.
Yes, yes, you told me that, but where?
I suppose he skipped out.
He's been threatening that for a long while.
Fine time to do it, though.
That's human loyalty for you.
And he used to say you couldn't be trusted because you had no feelings.
Nothing would stop you from finishing a job.
No petty human considerations.
Check, audio, flux.
Yes, yes, good idea, Max.
I want to hear the steps in this experiment.
I had a chance to get anywhere arguing with the machine.
Yeah, is that Jack?
I'm tired, no emotions, no feelings.
After this test, I'm through.
Dr. Ferris or no, I'm walking out.
Yeah, just as I thought.
Good riddance.
Set rheostat control.
Just a minute, just a minute.
I don't want to hear any more of this.
Don't worry, Max, I'll get you another assistant.
Nobody worthy of you, I'm afraid.
Just another human being like Jack.
But you'll be able to use his arms anyway, won't you, Max?
Yes, Master.
Look, Sally, I appreciate the chance to work with your father,
but I just couldn't take orders from Max.
Philip, I think you're wrong.
I really do think that this time you're wrong.
Listen, why do you think Jack quit?
Besides, your father never liked me,
and this is his opportunity to make a fool of me.
But Daddy was very disappointed in Jack.
This is your chance to make good in his eyes, patch everything up.
Oh, I don't know, I don't know.
Besides, the work is so important.
You keep telling me yourself how brilliant Daddy is.
Yeah, sure, but...
When this work is completed, Philip,
it will mean all sorts of honors for him.
Will you listen for a minute?
It can be the making of you as a scientist.
Oh, for my sake, take the job.
You make it very hard to refuse.
Then don't refuse, Philip.
I can call Daddy back.
All right, darling.
For your sake, call him back.
Now, Philip, the one problem we had
was the excess of heat vibration in the thermal tube itself.
I checked over Max's new formula to decrease that,
and I think he's got it.
And I've given him instructions based on that new formula.
I want you to follow Max's orders completely.
I'm jetting out to the Capitol again
with a member of the National Thermal Committee,
and I'm sure you can handle the work in my absence.
Well, I don't see why not.
The way it looks, I'd only be an extra pair of hands for Max.
Just so.
A very apt bit of phrasing, Philip.
Well, Max and I might as well get to work.
Fine, fine.
Max will show you how to regulate the thermal drums.
Good luck.
I'm afraid we've been keeping you from concluding your experiments,
Dr. Ferris, having you report to the Capitol so often.
On the contrary, Dr. Larkin.
I'm in the fortunate position of being able to place my work
in even more capable hands than mine.
Oh?
I don't suppose you've heard of Max.
Max?
Primary field 23.
Primary field 23.
Secondary field 19.
Coil 64.
Secondary field 19.
Coil 64.
Circumference 20 degrees.
Circumference 20 degrees.
But, Ferris, you can't be serious.
Rain like that is a monstrosity.
It's inhuman.
Of course it's inhuman.
That's the grandeur of it.
No feelings, no emotions, nothing to distract it.
Just pure scientific thought at the service of humanity.
But a thing like that cannot serve humanity, Dr. Ferris.
It's wrong somehow.
We've always used mechanical servants, Dr. Larkin.
By his very jet ship.
Oh, no, no, no, no. Not to make decisions for us.
It's a mistake to grant free will to any mind untempered by feelings and emotions.
There's something immoral about it.
Well, but that's just the beauty of it, Dr. Larkin.
Precisely because he has no feelings, Max can never make mistakes.
Sorry, I don't believe it.
No machine in the world operates to perfection.
But Max isn't a machine.
Max is pure brain, self-corrected, undistracted.
Here, here, let me show you.
Just look at the perfection of his latest formula.
Ohm 22.
Ohm 22.
Omega 1-4.
Omega 1-4.
See?
So he bases his new real stat setting on Ohm 22, Omega 1-4.
Omega?
By Omega, Dr. Ferris, isn't that a similar ratio?
Good Lord.
Good Lord.
What's the matter?
Oh, no, no, no.
Larkin, Max has repeated the same mistake.
It's as high a ratio as the other.
It'll build heat rather than dissipate it.
If Philip goes near the thermal control with that formula,
he'll be cremated, burned to an ash.
Oh, Dr. Ferris, are you sure?
Unfortunately, I'm very sure.
That's what happened to Jack.
He was...
Oh, no.
Larkin, I've got to go back.
I've got to get back in time.
If we don't get there in time, I'll be a murderer, Larkin.
You hear?
A murderer.
Real stat control.
Real stat control.
Thermal panel.
Set thermal panel.
Well, Max, this is the big one, isn't it?
We're all set to drag in the blazing sun.
You know, you're not half bad to work with.
After a fellow becomes used to your infernal arrogance.
Set thermal panel.
And your infernal driving.
There. All right, Max, old boy.
Fire away. We're on to glory.
Increase, raise.
Thermal eight, radial flux six.
Thermal eight, radial flux six.
Ah, this certainly builds up heat fast.
Thermal 12, radial flux nine.
Thermal 12, radial...
Thermal 14, radial flux ten.
Thermal 14.
Machines awfully hot, Max.
There.
Max, listen.
I don't know about this. It's getting awfully hot.
Get away from that machine.
Dr. Ferris, what's wrong?
Shooting thermal rays will be cremated, burned to an ass.
Into the control room quick.
Easy.
Now, now, stay there.
The insole glass walls will shield you.
Thermal 16, radial flux 12.
Max is going to the thermal panel.
I've got to stop him.
Oh, please, Dr. Ferris. You'll be killed yourself.
Now, stay in there. Don't come out.
No, Max. Max, listen to me.
Your new formula was wrong. Wrong.
Don't touch the thermal panel.
You'll be destroyed.
Stop, Max. Do you hear me?
Not stop until finished.
But not if you've made a mistake. Now, stop, Max. Stop.
Dr. Ferris, he can't stop. Nothing will stop him.
That's the way you built him.
He's only a machine. He has no understanding.
No, no. He's not just a machine. He's pure brain. He must understand.
Now, Max, listen. Your formula is wrong. You'll destroy yourself.
Everything you've accomplished will be destroyed with you.
Not stop. Not stop.
Good Lord. He's found the switch.
Dr. Ferris, come in here. Quickly.
Oh, the idiot, the idiot monster. Dr. Larkin was right.
It is something immoral, an inflexible electronic brain.
No emotions, no soul, no reason. It's my bald mind.
Dr. Ferris, look out. He's throwing the switch, Dr. Ferris.
No, no, Max. No.
Suspense.
You've been listening to Doom Machines starring Leon Janney as Dr. Ferris
and written especially for Suspense by Edgar Marvin.
Suspense is produced and directed by Bruno Zorotto Jr., music supervision by Ethel Huber.
Featured in tonight's story were Cliff Carpenter, Elaine Rost, Bernard Grant, and Eugene Francis.
Listen again next week when we return with Heads You Lose written by Robert Arthur.
Another tale well calculated to keep you in.
Suspense.
The singing is easy on the Richard Hayes Show weeknights on the CBS Radio Network.